The fact that we can depend on God to keep God's promises because of the honour of his name... the guarantee that God will do what God says God will do (clumsy but inclusive language there) is God's own character.
I was also captivated by the line though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me... you reach out your hand to me'. It seemed to resonate with what I know is happening in the lives of people in the congregation here. Yet the Psalm says that even those troubles cannot stop God from working out his plans for our lives.
The prayer comes across a little like a lament but maybe we need to rediscover that in our devotional life and our liturgy.
I have to say that it has stretched my rather limited ability to capture what I was feeling in a prayer... The last line comes from Eugene Peterson's Message translation.
There is trouble in our Lives, O Lord
It’s not all plain sailing
Yet in the midst of the angry turmoil we say thank you
From the depths of our heart we give you praise
In the ups and downs of our existence
We come to acknowledge your unfailing love and faithfulness
Because that is at the core of who you are
We know you keep your promises to us
We can depend on that
we can depend on you
When we call out to you,
even in the depth,
You hear us
As soon as we pray,
you answer
It’s not that it all gets solved and made better
It’s not some quick fix, get out of jail free card
Rather even though we cannot feel you all the time
We know You are with us
You encourage us
You give us the strength we need
Even though you are so great
You care for the humble
Even though you are all powerful
You are with the powerless
In fact you don’t hold with the haughty and proud
Rather You reach out your hand to us
You save us
Even more importantly have redeemed us
In Jesus you entered our world
A man of sorrow, Acquainted with grief
You experienced the worst humanity had to offer
And in return gave grace and love
And in dying on the cross
You took our sin
You broke its power to corrupt
Your broke its power of death
There is new life and joy
You work out your plans for our life
Plans for good not for harm
Plans that not even the worst of life can thwart
This gives us hope
Your faithful love endures forever
Finish what you have started in us
Don’t quit on us now
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